Justice News

Anchorage Resident Indicted for Health Care Fraud Scheme

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that an Anchorage woman was indicted in federal court on one count of committing a health care fraud scheme against the State of Alaska Medicaid program.

Mee Chong Collins, 70, a resident of Anchorage, was charged with executing a scheme involving the submission of numerous fraudulent timesheets beginning in February 2009 through June 2013, falsely claiming that her family members had provided personal care attendant services to four Medicaid recipients. According to the indictment, the services were not provided. It is further alleged that the fraudulent timesheets caused the payment of approximately $337,149.68 in Medicaid funds.

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that covers health care expenses for low-income and disabled people. Personal care attendants enable Medicaid recipients to remain in their homes, rather than move to an assisted living facility.

The investigation leading to the indictment in this case was conducted by federal and state agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Department of Homeland Security, and the State of Alaska Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

An arraignment date for the defendant has not been set yet by the court.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.